First, she set up a sturdy table with a rectangular cut-out in the centre. Atop this table, a thin, flat stone, resembling a griddle, was placed to serve as a griddle for barbecuing. At its heart, a small, circular hole was carved, perfect for nestling a clay pot for cooking soup. Underneath the table, she positioned a compact rectangular stove that acted as the fire burner. To elevate this short stove, a large, sturdy stone was strategically placed, ensuring the heat reached the griddle and the soup pot effectively.This clever design allowed her to cook barbecue and soup simultaneously.





“Wait, let me bring the ingredient”, Achara said.

She then brought two large trays. The first consists of uncooked noodles, vegetables like corn, enoki mushroom, Chinese celery cabbage, cauliflower, seaweed, tofu, bamboo shoots and meats like Sausage link, spam sliced beef, meatball, fish balls, and seafood.These are the ingredients for the MALA MAO CAI.



For the second tray, she had included the already seasoned barbecue meat like turkey, boar, beef , squid, and prawn.

“So much food.” Sean expressed his amazement.



Looking at the variety of delicious ingredients, Wyatt and Sean could not help but drool. Rui also could not help but asked”What do we do then?”.



“Please wait, I will be back”, She then goes back to the house to take the large kettle filled with only MALA MAO CAI broth that she made.



She poured the MA LA MAO CAI soup into the clay pot, then put the meat ingredient from the first tray that complimented the malar mao cai soup. The smell of the MALA MAO CAI soup spread the moment It poured into the clay pot. She left the vegetables since they were easy to cook.



Then she started to make a fire by putting some wood into the stove. As a lazy person, she ignited the fire with a fire stone, which was easy to ignite. After confirming the temperature was right , she stopped.



“Do you know how to cook them? Here, let me show you.” She had already put the oil bottle into a container that looked like a sauce container and poured the oil onto the flat stove to use it as a griddle. One by one, she started to cook the barbecue. Of course, she prepared a long pointed wooden stick similar to chopsticks for convenient grilling. As the beast men did not know how to eat with chopsticks, she made a single sharp stick so that they could stab in to hold them and grill. It was easier for them to use. For her convenience, she uses two of the sharpened wooden sticks to cook the barbecue. After seeing her cooked, the rest of them copy her action. Since they were familiar with barbecuing, it was not difficult for them to cook. Plus, she told them to put the oil on only a little.



The night was cold with the winter approaching. The smell of the steamy aroma of the MALA MAO CAI can be smelt. The combination taste of the chilli peppers mingles with the numbing steam of the Sichuan peppercorns spread around. Everyone was anticipating the food.

“It smells so good”,said Sean.



Sean was about to take it, but Achara stopped him.” It is not ready yet. You need to wait until all the ingredients are cooked so that you can eat.”

“Alright”, Sean put down his hands reluctantly.

Instead, you can keep cooking the barbecue. “Achara said. If you feel that it is the right temperature and cooked, then you can enjoy it. “Okay”, Wyatt nodded.



While waiting for the barbecue to cook and the MALA MAO CAI broth to cook, She started a conversation. “Don’t mind and eat today to your heart's content. Today also happened to be the death anniversary of the grandma ghost, so I am happy that there are people.” The feeling of wanting to eat suddenly reduces after hearing her words, especially Wyatt.





“ You mean that granny ghost over there?”.Rui asked.

“Yes, it is her.”, Achara made it up and explained about her death.

"She had a pitiful death. She died after knowing the hateful truth that the snack that she loved so much is made with elephant shit.

( Author's note: In fact, elephant dung are used to treat various ailments which are said to treat headaches, toothaches, and respiratory problems.)

She was told that the snack she loves had medicinal properties and eating it would make her healthy. She smells and eats it with relish, not leaving a single thing every time.



Feeling betrayed by her children and husband for keeping it a secret , her soul has not rested until now. The moment she knew, she had a heart attack and became a haunted ghost with vengeful reason. She, who was angry, would feed the snack that contained elephant shit to her descendant as a form of her revenge. Her name had become shit feeding ghost. That’s just the rumours.



Others said that it was because she was killed and innocently died. Due to her unjust death, she would squeeze the neck and use many other torturing methods to hunt the other beast-men. I heard that when she first became a ghost, she could only look at others and do nothing. Since she was seen staring creepily at everyone even when taking a bath, she was also named the peeping ghost."

Wyatt felt really unsafe after hearing her words. He covered his body, thinking if his purity would be stained and seen by an old ugly grandma ghost.

Achara continued, "Also, there are rumours saying that she died since someone jumped like a frog and kicked her from the dark. Feeling vengeful, she developed a naughty behaviour. Now, staying in the dark and kicking the victim is her favourite activity. She was harmless when she was a noob ghost. However, after years of experience, she has become more powerful and can even injure the victim physically. Due to this, the shifu ghost master was called. The first ghost master ran away after being teased by the grand mom ghost . Only the second ghost master was a little more skilled, He trapped the granny ghost in the container so that her power was trapped and she couldn't physically hurt the others."



Wyatt then asked, “What happens when the container is broken?”

Achara was waiting for this question. She answered, “Not only will her power be free, she will be completely free, being able to hunt freely."



She then continued, “I am not her actual descendant. However, my great great grandfather is the friend of one of her descendant's best friends. Before his best friend died, he asked my great great grandfather to take care of it and entrust it to him. Then, this duty was passed on to me. “Achara was thinking how she is good at making lies.



“Oh, It looks like it is cooked”, She pointed at the barbecue. During her talk, she did not forget to flip the barbecue to evenly cook for each front and back side. The boneless meat without a hint of fat glistens with a perfect glaze of caramelized marinade, promising a burst of flavour in every bite. The outer edges have a beautiful char, giving it a slightly crispy texture that contrasts delightfully with the juicy interior.



Of course, the beast men did not know how to use chopsticks. Rui, Sean, and Wyatt all stabbed the barbecue meat with the sharpened wooden stick that she provided and put the tender meat into their mouth. The moment they bite in, they could sense the feeling of the meaty yet boneless tender meat carefully marinated with spices and herb melt in their mouth. With a symphony of texture and tastes, the crisp outer layer gives way to juicy, flavorful meat.



“Delicious”Sean mumbled.



At the same time, the pot covering MAO CAI SOUP slightly vibrates to allow the overwhelming steam a way out.

“Look like the MALA MAO CAI soup is also ready”. Achara opened the lid and stirred the soup.



The smell of the tantalizing, mouth-numbing aroma of Sichuan peppercorns, mixed with the rich, earthy scent of chilli oil spread through the surrounding area. Taking a spoon, Achara first takes the soup, noodles, and the meat into her bowl. The rest followed her action. As one takes a sip of the MALA MAO CAI soup, the bold flavours of the complex combination of savoury, spicy, and slightly sweet occupy the taste bud. A combination of the stew-like dish together with the hot steamy soup in the cold start of the winter night provides a warm feeling to one's stomach. The feeling of warmth passes to the throat and travels all the way to the stomach, giving one a satisfying feeling. The noodles are perfectly cooked, with just the right amount of firmness and a slightly glossy sheen from a delicate coating of the rich MALA MAO CAI soup. When one eats it, the thin noodle dangles enticingly and glides smoothly into the mouth, releasing a burst of savoury flavours. Each strand is coated in the flavorful Malo Mao Cai soup, allowing one to savor the intricate blend of spices and seasonings with every slurp.The tender meat, crisp vegetables, and chewy noodles are all infused with the fragrant broth, creating a truly unforgettable dining experience. Rather than eating alone, eating together with others further enhances one taste bud.



Achara had planned to share more ghost stories, but once they tasted the dishes, it became a silent, delightful competition of flavors. Without any conversation, they savored the rich, spicy warmth of the mala mao cai, perfect for the chilly winter night, while also enjoying the smoky, charred goodness of the barbecue in the crisp outdoor air.



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Updated on 2nd December 2024. (Monday)